Newcastle I-80 overpass jumper survives

Authorities confirmed Monday that a man who attempted suicide by leaping off an Interstate 80 overpass onto the freeway at Newcastle did survive the 30-foot fall.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that it opened no new coroner’s cases Friday or over the weekend originating with the Newcastle incident. The man was seen by a witness parking his car on the overpass at about 10:30 a.m. Friday and jumping backward onto the I-80 westbound fast lane. Traffic stopped before any vehicles struck the man and he was taken by ambulance to Sutter Roseville Medical Center.
Because of a 48-hour psychiatric hold following the suicide attempt, the Sheriff’s Office could not release the man’s name. And because authorities weren’t legally able to release a name, hospital officials could not provide a condition report.
The coroner’s office, however, was able to trace any sudden deaths Friday or over the weekend and the Newcastle jump had not been listed as of Monday morning, sheriff’s spokeswoman Dena Erwin said.
– Gus Thomson